Yale  University  Prize   Poem 
1900 


-"_.    -    I 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
AT   LOS  ANGELES 


8061  -\i  -m  iw 
in«3  'nowixns 

SJ3M«W 


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YALE  UNIVERSITY  PRIZE  POEM 

IQOO 


THE    MOTHER'S    SLEEP 


BY 


CHARLES    ALEXIS    KELLOGG,    JR. 


NEW  HAVEN 

THE  TUTTLE,  MOREHOUSE  &  TAYLOR  Co. 
1900 


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PREFATORY   NOTE 

This  poem  received  the  third  award  of  the  prize 
offered  by  Professor  Albert  S.  Cook  to  Yale  Uni 
versity  for  the  best  unpublished  verse,  the  committee 
of  award  consisting  of  Professors  Charlton  M.  Lewis, 
George  E.  Woodberry,  and  Charles  F.  Richardson. 


THE  MOTHER'S  SLEEP 

i 

Soft-borne  and  drowsy,  muffled  in  the  dark, 
The  sheepfold's  tinkling  rises  ;  in  long  notes 
The  cowherd  drones  his  call ;  and,  floating  faint 
From  a  distant  hilltop,  horn-blasts  swell  and  die. 
The  oaks  have  ceased  their  rustling  and  are  still, 
Save  for  the  dreamy  twittering  deep  within. 
In  heaven  the  little,  lonesome  clouds  are  pale 
With  wandering,  and  nestle  to  their  rest, 
Unhoused.     All  garish  lights  are  hid,  and  night 
Is  kindling  soft-flamed  watch-fires  o'er  the  Earth. 
Closing  her  weary  eyes,  and  drawing  close 
Her  darkling  robe,  the  Earth  breathes  soft  and  sighs, 
And  sinks  asleep.     I  would  that  I,  too,  slept. 


II 

O  would  that  I  might  sleep 

And  dream  like  the  Mother  dreaming  ; 

So  wondrous  calm  and  deep, 

A  sleep  that  is  past  our  deeming  ! 

We  close  our  gloom-pressed  eyes  ; 
Our  souls  are  for  ever  waking. 
We  couch  our  limbs,  and  rise 
With  hearts  that  are  ever  aching. 

And  all  our  wish  is  rest, 

Short  rest  and  a  little  slumber, 

That  we  may  fight  our  best 

Through  battles  that  have  no  number. 


Ill 

The  sleep  of  the  Mother  is  dewy  and  soft, 

And  balms  from  her  breath  arise 
As  sweet  as  the  honey-flowered  locust  aloft, 

And  fresh  as  the  morn-streaked  skies. 

Her  bosom  is  calm,  and  her  breathing  is  still 

And  soft  as  the  sea-breeze  blows  ; 
But  deep  in  her  breast  is  a  wondrous  thrill 

Like  that  in  an  unblown  rose. 

And  all  through  the  dark  swells  the  joy  in  her  breast 

To  burst  with  the  rose-rimmed  light 
In  bird-caroled  paeans  of  joy  for  her  rest, 

And  joy  for  her  fresh-limbed  might. 

The  lovely-haired  goddess  all-radiant  springs 

To  greet  with  a  song  the  morn  ; 
"  The  toils  of  the  ages  are  nothing  "  she  sings, 

"  Then  hail  to  the  toils  unborn  !  " 


IV 

Great  Mother,  may  it  be 

That,  when  the  life-springs  cease  flowing 

And  men  return  to  Thee, 

They  enter  that  sleep  past  knowing  ? 

A  sleep  which,  full  and  strong, 
Is  deep,  yet  prepares  a  waking  ; 
For  though  the  night  be  long 
The  morn  will  again  be  breaking, 

And  we  shall  have  our  rest, 
Sweet  rest  and  a  welcome  slumber, 
And  rise  to  fight  our  best 
Through  battles  that  have  no  number. 


The  Earth  sleeps  on.     The  sheepfold  now  is  hushed  ; 

No  horn-blast  wakes  an  echo ;  all  the  birds 

Are  mute  and  dreaming — save  the  owl,  whose  notes, 

Forlorn  and  querulous,  bemoan  her  lot 

Of  outcast.     Cradled  on  the  sky's  broad  breast 

Float  still  the  cloudlets,  now  not  pale,  but  topped 

With  shade,  and  downy-bosomed.     Star-fires  wane  ; 

The  eastern  heaven  is  filled  with  liquid  light ; 

And  lo,  the  great-eyed  moon  upthrusts  her  head 

Above  yon  hill  and  stares  across  to  this. 

Softly  she  cometh — not  to  wake  but  watch 

The  Sleeper.     Slow  she  mounts  and  peers  below. 

The  darkness  melts  and  passes  from  the  vales  ; 

The  meadow-lands  are  mellowed  in  the  light ; 

Even  the  grim  and  black-browed  forests  smile, 

Grow  radiant,  and  drink  deep  the  silver  flood. 


N1A 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


II  I    II    I  II    II  I 


III  Illlllllll  Hill 


AA    001  220  292    5 


